1 Corinthians 12:26-27 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

27Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.

Individually we are members, in Christ we are together the body of Christ, and that is a very special oneness. It might not seem obvious, but it is also true that when one member of the Body of Christ suffers, all suffer. And it is for this reason that we celebrate a life Sunday, because whatever life God has given us to live, has purpose.

Problem is that this is under attack from all corners of the world. The world would have us believe that life is worth living as long as it is productive. Life is worth living as long as it is self determined; and as soon as your life is out of your control, you should have the right to terminate your life. There are 2 problems with this, 1st, it is a lie to say that you are ever fully in control of your life, for according to the logic, as no one would choose to get a cold, if you have a cold, you must be out of control of your life. The 2nd problem also has to do with a lie, for it is also a lie to say that life is self determined, for according to nature, we were created in sin, and born in sin, and by nature we are all spiritually blind, dead, and enemies of God. By nature the only thing we ca choose is sin, so it is lying to pretend that choice is possible.

You see, even for Christians, if we believe and are saved, it is wholly the power of God that brings us to salvation and forgiveness. For as Christians the only thing we are free to do is to reject Godís free gift of salvation in Jesus Christ. And the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ is not just the forgiveness of sins, but also life everlasting.

So the world brings challenges against the end of life, asking us to make cost effective choices, either to be a productive member of society, or to make room for some one who will be productive; and it attacks the beginning of life, treating birth as a matters of womenís health, and using the same lie of self determination, to justify abortion.

You see all life is a gift from God, the creator of all. No science will ever be able to create life, for science is not God, even though sometimes it might believe itself so. Life is a gift of God and designed by God to occur in and through marriage. God didnít give sex for casual recreation, but God said the 2 will become 1 flesh. God said be fruitful and multiply and replenish the face of the earth.

It is because life is a gift of God, that we view abortion as not only sin, but murder and idolatry. Idolatry because you have set yourself up as a God to choose who may live, and who is not convenient. And what this has to do with the church can bee seen as we listen to the Psalm:

[

22:9-10] "Yet thou art he who took me from the womb; thou didst keep me safe upon my mother's breasts. 10Upon thee was I cast from my birth, and since my mother bore me thou hast been my God." or again

Jeremiah 1:5 "Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee,"

Since scriptures indicate that babies can believe even before they are born, for they can hear the Word of God, which works faith in the heart, and the faith in the heart trust in the promise of God, and clings to the promise of salvation which is by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. So since little babies can believe, and be members of the Body of Christ even before they are born, and far before they are brought to baptism... then when these members of the Body of Christ suffer, as indeed they suffer when they are brutally killed, we, the other members of the body all suffer with them. That is why something must be done to stop the slaughter.

For it is true, that when one member suffers we all suffer, just as it is also true that when one member is honored we all rejoice. So let us work together to build each other up, to encourage one another, to defend one another, so that the church may always be filled with thanks praise and much rejoicing, in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.